Three Chinese nationals were apprehended in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo with 12 gold bars and $800,000 in cash, according to local officials. The governor of South Kivu province, Jean Jacques Purusi, reported that the precious metals and cash were concealed beneath the vehicle seats.
The operation leading to the arrests remained undisclosed, following the recent release of other Chinese nationals accused of operating an illegal gold mine in the region. Eastern DR Congo is rich in natural resources, including gold, diamonds, and essential minerals used in smartphones and electric vehicles.
These abundant mineral reserves have been exploited by foreign entities since colonial times, contributing to the instability that has plagued the region for three decades. Militia groups exert control over many mines, enriching their leaders through sales to intermediaries. Purusi highlighted connections between some of these mineral dealers and influential figures in the capital, Kinshasa, necessitating a discreet approach for this latest operation.
Acting on a tip-off, authorities conducted a thorough search of the vehicle in the Walungu area, near the Rwandan border, where they discovered the gold and cash. He withheld the exact amount of gold confiscated during the operation.
The governor expressed his dismay last month over the release of 17 Chinese nationals related to an illegal mining operation, which he claimed severely undermined efforts to regulate the chaotic mineral sector in the country. He noted that these individuals owed $10 million in taxes and fines to the government.
The recent arrests follow ongoing violence in the nearby North Kivu province, where a Rwanda-backed rebel group has taken control of significant territories. Additionally, DR Congo has initiated legal action against a major technology company over the use of “blood minerals,” claiming that the company has ceased sourcing materials from the region.
Rwanda, however, has denied allegations of facilitating the illegal export of minerals from DR Congo. The lawsuit filed by Congolese government lawyers asserts that minerals extracted from conflict zones are often “laundered through international supply chains,” contributing to a cycle of violence and financing militant groups, while also resulting in forced child labor and environmental destruction.
